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The Melbourne Cricket Ground is regarded as Australia's premier sporting
venue. For over one hundred years, it has played host to many of the
country's biggest cricket and Australian Rules Football matches, and many
other significant sporting contests besides. It was, in fact, even the
centrepiece of the Olympic Games of 1956. The 'G (as it is affectionately
known by the people of Melbourne) is located a short distance to the east
of the city's CBD and is easily accessible by both public transport and by
foot; it is common, for example, for business people to walk to the arena
after work to watch the second session of day-night cricket internationals.
Prior to a series of developments in the 1980s and 1990s, it possessed a
capacity of around 125,000; since that time, the extension of individual
seating to virtually all of its reaches has reduced that figure to
somewhere closer to 97,000. In short, it is an imposing stadium: the
three-tiered Great Southern Stand (completed in 1992) bounds the perimeter
of one half of the ground and holds close to 50,000 people; there are also
vast banks of seating in the Ponsford Stand, Olympic Stand and Members'
Reserve. It is also replete with a Gallery of Sport, two giant electronic
scoreboards, and a vast array of corporate and media facilities.

Notwithstanding the fact that various curators drew fire from players and
spectators alike for producing a succession of wearing, low bouncing
surfaces through the 1980s and early 1990s, pitches at the MCG have, for
most of its history, generally facilitated well balanced contests between
bat and ball. No better has this been exemplified than in famous matches
in its recent past such as the 1982-83 Test between Australia and England;
the thrilling Australia-New Zealand decider in 1987-88; and the 1992 World
Cup Final between Pakistan and England.
Cricinfo staff